1889 – Benjamin Ezzy was a porter at the Bathurst Railway Station who made a fatal mistake. The 21-year-old had worked there for four years, having risen from the dirty position of lamp cleaner to porter by 1889. It was 2.30 one October afternoon when the goods train from Wallerawang arrived on the “up line’.Continue reading “Train takes life of exemplary teetotaller porter”
Author Archives: Sharyn Moodie
Flow in river claimed two lives
A recent flow of water had been enticing many swimmers to the Bogan River below Yee War’s garden near Nyngan, New South Wales. But on February 5, 1931, after 5pm, there were only three present. Only one lived to tell the tale. Rosie Pines, 44, a strong swimmer who had herself helped rescue a womanContinue reading “Flow in river claimed two lives”
Train accidents ran in the family
To have one son killed while working in a railway yard is unfortunate, but to have a second son die almost the same way three years later is beyond words. Twenty-seven-year old Robert Webster was a shunter at the Kelso railway station, the other side of the Macquarie River to the Bathurst Station, New SouthContinue reading “Train accidents ran in the family”
Swimmer not strong enough
1928 – Leslie Wren Ellis was a waterside worker who perhaps should have stayed waterside. He planned to buy a fishing boat which was moored in water off the town of Thevenard, South Australia. The best way to inspect it was to swim out to it, and although his friends advised him not to doContinue reading “Swimmer not strong enough”
Contrary winds keep Charles from vital medical help
1890 – Charles Frederick Otto Michael had retired as post-master at Gawler, near Adelaide, after a stroke but had “lately been enjoying good health.’’ While visiting his adult son at Fowlers Bay, South Australia, 900km west of his hometown, he broke a leg. As there was no doctor in that out-of-the-way place his son had toContinue reading “Contrary winds keep Charles from vital medical help”
Words written in stone endure
Words written in stone may not always last for ever, but they may endure for a long time. The bitter epitaph above left, “one of seven victims of negligence” was etched in 1948, but still sends a clear message from the family of Victoria Herbert, who lost her life as she took the bus toContinue reading “Words written in stone endure”
Lamp post took out railway worker
1890 – Orange, NSW railway employee Edward Morris stepped off a shunting train into a light post and was thrown back onto the line. Morris had been warned that the post was there. His fellow workers were concerned about the dangerous position of a number of new posts erected that day to provide light forContinue reading “Lamp post took out railway worker”
Fatal boat ride for non-swimmer
“I don’t think anything could sink this boat”. Bothwell, just before the boat sank William Bothwell couldn’t swim. He lived in the driest part of the continent, yet he still managed to drown in a boating accident. It was also the boat’s maiden voyage. It was made of galvanized iron, and was launched on aContinue reading “Fatal boat ride for non-swimmer”
Italian cyclist lauded in outback cemetery
Although Italian cyclist Leo Beretta lived far from home in the dusty mining town of Coolgardie, he was so esteemed among locals that an eight-foot granite memorial was raised in his memory. Beretta died when he was training at the Coolgardie Recreation Reserve.Cycle racing was the world’s most popular and lucrative sport at the turnContinue reading “Italian cyclist lauded in outback cemetery”
Wrong brother named drowned
It is bad enough to lose a child to drowning, without the press reporting the wrong child had died. In 1897, The Gympie Times correctly reported that Robert Oxlade, aged eleven years, son of a respected townsman, whilst fishing in the river (most likely the Macintyre) with two other lads, fell into the water. “The body wasContinue reading “Wrong brother named drowned”
Way to go Australia 